I Know
by luv2watchtv
Summary: I look back on my life and I know that my life would have been so different if I had not come across Gabriella Montez that certain New Years Eve Night. TXG


**I KNOW**

**Summary:**

I look back on my life and I know that my life would have been so different if I hadn't come across Gabriella Montez that certain New Years Eve Night.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned HSM! But I don't…

**A/N **So I found this on my memory stick and realised that I hadn't posted it. And I figured I might as well. This was just some random idea I had – at first it may just seem like I'm stating the obvious but towards the end it does expand a little.

This is Troy's POV

* * *

I've always wondered what life would be like if Gabriella Montez never came into my life…

I know that there would be no way that I would have known I could sing.

--

"_Son I'm proud of you… you've shown me that there's more to you than just the basketball boy. Who knew you could sing?"  
_

"_Thanks dad! I never knew – but singing with Gabriella just brought it out in me I guess…"_

"_That's great Troy…"_

_I smiled as my dad engulfed me into a hug. He had accepted that I wasn't just the basketball guy. He had accepted that I now could sing. _

_--_

I know that there would have been no way I would have tried out for a musical

I know that the cliques in East High would still exist

--

"_You guys do realise that it's because of your singing thing back then that everything is the way it is right now…" Chad spoke up_

"_Huh?" Gabriella asked_

"_Yeah – think about it Gabs! I mean if you and Troy never tried out for the musical, you two would never have gotten together. Chad and I would never have got together. Neither would Zeke and Sharpay. Or Kelsi and Jason. Or Ryan and Martha. You guys mixed us all up…" Taylor smiled at us_

"_We did… didn't we?" I told Gabriella_

"_Yea… we did…"_

_I smiled as she leant up and gave me a quick kiss._

_--_

I know that Chad – my best friend would never have hooked up with Scholastic decathlon captain Taylor McKessie

--

"_Hey hottie… wanna go out?"_

_Everyone just stared at Chad's blatant statement directed at Taylor. Whilst most guys would stress for weeks on how to ask the girl they really liked out, Chad just came out with it in – it has to be said – the most unromantic way possible. Right now he didn't even look like he was bothered by the answer. Twirling a basketball around his finger he looked at Taylor. However, I could see something else that no one else could see. After being his best friend since kindergarten, I've known every emotion to cross Chad's eyes. And right now there was definitely fear and insecurity in them. However, Chad being Chad; had too of course, mask it up by twirling his beloved basketball around._

_Taylor looked at Chad oddly. I could guess that that was definitely not the way she had dreamt of being asked out – in a crowded hallway with all her friends watching, whilst the guy who was asking her was spinning a basketball on his finger in a 'I don't really care about your answer' manner._

_Most girls would have said no. Most girls. Taylor; however, after looking in Chad's eyes decided to say yes. She must have seen the same fear and insecurity that I had seen._

_--_

I know that I would never have become good friends with Taylor McKessie

--

"_Who knew that Chad and Gabriella would hit it off so well?" I asked_

_Taylor laughed. Right now we were all at the mall. Chad and Gabriella were busy looking at something and laughing whilst they left Taylor and I looking at some DVD's._

"_I know… I didn't realise that Gabriella loved video games!"_

"_Another hidden talent…" _

_We both smiled as we saw them both laugh and mess around. We had all started going out as a foursome together – which gave me a great opportunity to get to know Taylor._

_--_

I know that I would never have known about Kelsi Neilson

I know that I would have never seen Jason Cross and Kelsi Neilson hook up

--

"_Kelsi will you go to homecoming with me?"_

_I watched as Jason stood on a table in the cafeteria looking at the girl he had been driving everyone insane talking about. I turned my gaze to Kelsi who was surrounded by all the girls, including my girlfriend, with tears in her eyes._

_Jason had been stressing for ages, thinking of different ways to ask out the girl he was crazy about; however, to shy to do anything about it, to homecoming. He knew he wanted it too be special because as he said 'That's what she deserves'. It was only at Chad's exasperated and sarcastic reply that he came up with his grand plan._

"_Jason why don't you bloody stand on one of the bloody tables in the middle of the canteen and ask her there – then stop blabbing on about her!"_

_And now everyone in the cafeteria watched with a held breath as the petite girl looked up at Jason. This was it – humiliation or over joy for my buddy!_

"_Yes Jason – I'll go with you to homecoming!"_

_Everyone broke out in cheers as Jason broke out into the biggest grin._

_Over Joy_

_--_

I know that I would never have done something like talk to my dad about living my dreams – not his

--

"_Troy do it – if not for yourself than at least for me…"_

_Gabriella gave me the puppy dog eyes. She knew that I couldn't resist that look_

"_Fine…"_

_I walked hesitantly to the door which I knew my father was behind. He was currently looking at me going to top sports schools – I, however, wanted to try out something other than sports. Sports was all I had ever done. I wanted to have the option of being able to choose something else – something different…_

_Something not chosen by my dad and only my dad – something which I had a say in!_

"_Dad… can I talk to you?"_

_--_

I know that I would probably be attached to the hip with Sharpay Evans because of a want of scholarship

I know that I would have been very unhappy with Miss Sharpay Evans

I know that I would probably have never found a friend in Ryan Evans – Sharpay's twin brother

I know that I would never been in 'the gang'

I know that I would never have discovered some of the most amazing friends

I know that Ms Darbus would still be hating me for being a 'jock'

I know that Zeke and Sharpay wouldn't have hooked up

I know that I wouldn't have been in this long of a relationship

I know that I would have probably never have thought about anything being more important than basket ball

--

"_Maybe Troy – maybe there are things in life more important than basketball…" Gabriella looked at me with tears in her eyes_

_I looked at her confused. I had just got accepted to coach a basketball team – a dream of mine after I had an injury and couldn't play pro. The only problem was that it was far away from everything – everyone! Gabriella couldn't come with me because she had a teaching job at East High. Not to mention that she would never leave her mother who had gotten sick. Her mother after all was her only family…_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Troy – what about everyone? I mean – you going to coach a basketball team. You're going to get wrapped up in everything there. Soon before we know it – you're visits would become less and less…"_

"_That wouldn't happen…"_

"_Wouldn't it? Can you honestly say that there's no way in hell that you would end up forgetting us – your family; your friends – me? Because it can be a crazy time – a crazy life! And you could very well be throwing it all away just to coach…"_

"_Just to coach? This is a dream…"_

"_Then I won't stop you! You go for it! I'm just reminding you that maybe there are things that are more important than basketball…"_

_--_

I know that I would never have realised the true meaning of love

--

_I sat there at the airport. Why couldn't Gabriella understand how much this meant to me? It was a dream of mine to coach… and she wanted me to throw it all away! _

_I was going to visit! I was going to call! She wasn't going to loose me… what was the problem?_

_My eyes scanned through the crowded airports until they finally fell onto a young family. The husband was carrying a little girl in one arm, whilst he had his other arm wrapped around his wife. I watched as she looked up at him from her book and smiled as he leant down and placed a soft kiss to her lips. I watched as the little girl in his arms tightened her grip around her daddy's neck smiling…_

_--_

I know that I would never have felt that sense of loneliness that I felt those cold days

--

_I had come home late once again – too late to call Gabriella. I hadn't called her for a week and I had to admit that I was missing hearing her voice. Even if nowadays she seemed to be more distant than before. I looked at my phone and saw that there were no messages. I had been coaching for more than three months. At first, Gabriella would always leave messages if she couldn't get through – nowadays it just seemed that she either never rang or she didn't like to leave a message. It hurt to know that the girl I loved was slowly beginning to drift away from me. Here I was in a foreign city all alone. True – I had my dream job. But I was alone. Her words were coming back to haunt me in my time of loneliness_

"_You're going to get wrapped up in everything there. Soon before we know it – you're visits would become less and less…"_

"_Can you honestly say that there's no way in hell that you would end up forgetting us – your family; your friends – me? Because it can be a crazy time – a crazy life! And you could very well be throwing it all away just to coach…"_

_And that was exactly what I had done – I had thrown away my life just to coach._

_--_

I know that I would never have believed in that little thing called soul mates which I used to so clearly disregard

I know that I would never have looked forward to coming home after work as much as I did then

I know that I would never have smiled as much and as happily as I did then

I know that I would never have felt this little thing called happiness swell inside my heart

I know that I would never have looked on proudly at the blue eyed, brown haired baby lying softly in her cot

I know that I would never have smiled with joy as I saw my baby girl bound of happily to kindergarten

I know that I would never have let myself cry in front of people

I know that I would never have let the tears trail slowly and miserably down my cheeks as I watched a petite brunette slip away from me

I know that I would never have thought that a heart breaking was possible

I know that I would never have felt the pain and anguish as I felt when I saw her cold face look up at me unemotionally

I know that I would never have felt the way I feel now

I know that I would never have been as truly happy as I was then – as I am now

Because Gabriella Montez did come in my life…

And as she came into my life she left…

But I've never felt happier

Because I know that somewhere up there she's looking down on me and our baby girl

Watching over us…

**A/N **

This story was actually the inspiration I got to write 'Before it's too late'. A lot of issues are the same from here in 'Before it's too late'; however, there are things which are _very _different. This was just something which triggered me writing 'Before it's too late'. So I guess you could say that some parts of this is a sneak peek at what 'Before it's too late' may be like. By the way – I'm putting emphasis on the _some_.

Anyway, tell me what you thought of it…

XxxNicolexxX


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